Africville Forever

 

                                      artwork by Vanessa Thomas whose grandmother lived in Africville 

Take me back, take me back dear Lord
To the place where I first received you
Take me back, take me back dear Lord where I
First believed

I feel that I'm so far from you Lord
But still I hear you calling me
Those simple things that I once knew,
Their memories keep drawing me

I must confess, Lord I've been blessed
But yet my soul's not satisfied
Renew my faith, restore my joy
And dry my weeping eyes

Take me back, take me back dear Lord
To the place where I first received you
Take me back, take me back dear Lord where I…

                        Take Me Back 

 Andraé Crouch

There is a new five-part podcast about Africville, the Black community at the north end of Halifax which was expropriated and razed by the municipal government in the 1960s despite the land being settled and owned since the late 1700s or early 1800s. Africville was a thriving community of about 400 with stores and a church, although it was underserviced in terms of sewer and water. The story is one of systemic racism and injustice, and eventually, in 2010, the city of Halifax apologized. 

A new podcast about one of Halifax's former Black communities is looking to bring a different focus to the story by featuring advocates who are fighting to have the land returned to its descendants.

The podcast, titled Africville Forever is co-hosted by Alfred Burgesson and Eddy Carvery III and focusses on the efforts of advocates who are fighting to have the land returned to its descendants. Apologies are fine, but what about reparations? I haven't listened yet but I will. 

This week marks the twentieth anniversary of Africville being declared a national historic site with then Heritage Minister Sheila Copps present for the ceremony. Curiously, I was there as well. I was ministering in Halifax at the time and heard from CBC radio about the event. I had only a vague idea of the location of the park which had been created on the Africville site but I got there just in time. 

There were many people who had lived in Africville or were descendents or residents on hand that day and they sang a stirring rendition of the hymn above. A  young woman with a beautiful voice led the way.  Copps was moved, perhaps by the singing or maybe even by the Holy Spirit, because she promised to rebuild the church which had been a hub for the community. This was a surprise to regional staff of her ministry. One of them was in my congregation and he told me that this was news to them, but it eventually happened, with the replica church now acting as a museum. 

Any time Canadians are tempted to become smug about racism in the United States all we need to do is look at our history with Black and Indigenous peoples to realize we have our own shameful history. We can listen, learn, and prayerfully commit ourselves to change.